Stacey Reynolds, PhD, OTR/L, a tenured professor in the VCU Department of Occupational Therapy, was selected as director of the interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences program at the VCU College of Health Professions.

This leadership role places Reynolds in charge of one of the most established hybrid doctoral programs in the country. The Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences is designed for experienced working health professionals, preparing them to develop solutions to complex health problems by conducting rigorous research.

The program is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is a designated Program of Merit by the Association of Doctoral Programs in Health Sciences.

“I am honored to step into the role and it is a natural progression after years of mentoring students within the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program and teaching grant writing for seven years prior,” Reynolds says. She also directs the dual-degree Occupational Therapy Doctorate-to-Ph.D. program, bridging students from the entry-level program into the doctoral.

The OTD-to-Ph.D. program was developed by Reynolds in 2021 to increase the number of occupational therapists equipped to do research and advance the evidence-based profession. There are only five dual-degree programs in the country, placing VCU at the forefront of student research engagement and innovation.

For more on the Ph.D in Health Related Sciences program, visit the Ph.D in Health Related Sciences site.

For more on the Dual Degree OTD/PhD, visit the Dual Degree page.